Master of Death
by Dead Paw
Summary: Harry becomes the Master of Death and this is how. This is just something I wanted to write. It goes with my Fear the Dark story, but doesnt really have anything to do with it, if that makes sense. I hope you like it.


Closing his eyes, Harry concentrated on being at one with his magic. The passage he'd read had said that only then would he be powerful enough to bring the Hallows together.

To reach one's inner core of magic, one must pass through the soul. It is not as easy as stated as once inside the soul, wizards become trapped by themselves, unwilling to return to life. One must face one's self and answer the question it puts towards you truthfully. Get the question wrong, and you will become trapped and begin to slowly destroy yourself from the inside, out.

Once past one's inner self, you will find three planes of magic that one must conquer to unleash the magic. The first plane is the Plane of Life; the second is the Plane of Death, and finally, the Plane of Essence. I cannot tell you what will await you on these planes, but once released, your magic will be ever flowing, undying and endless. I believe it is the only path to True Immortality.

Calm was all he felt at the moment; not the firm voice of his father's command, nor the fiery one of his betrothed, but only calm. And then, nothing.

Trying to force his eyes open, he found he couldn't even feel himself anymore. Not only did he _feel_ nothing - he _was_ nothing. And then, suddenly, he was everything. He could feel every muscle in his body; he could feel every vein, every cell of his entire being. And then he felt his magic. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Having grown up with magic always around him, Harry never thought to _feel_ what it was, but now… Now he could see.

_Your hearts desire?_ A soft, loving voice said from nowhere, and yet everywhere.

"I don't know." He answered, not truly thinking about the answer.

The voice turned deep and angry. _LIAR! Answer the truth!_

He didn't reply. He didn't know!

_But you do know!_ The voice was encouraging. _Do not be afraid of the truth. It could save you one day._

"I-I-"

_Go on,_

"I-I wish to be in a family that loves me."

He gasped. In all of his life, he'd never realised that.

_Very good. But how will True Immortality help that?_

"My father will truly love me when I am powerful enough to conquer death."

_But do you_ really_ believe that?_

"I… no, I don't,"

_Those that truly love you will accept you for you._

"I see that now."

But you will not accept it. For this, I cannot let you pass.

Rage filled him. "This is an outrage! I shall destroy you if you do not allow me entrance!"

You would destroy yourself? I am the logical part of you. Without me, you would become your father! Ruthless, heartless, cruel, sadistic, bloodthirsty, unmerciful, unyielding and malicious – is that what you want?! Of course not! To destroy me, you would give up True Immortality; you would give up the power to control the Deathly Hallows, to become Master of Death and to become a God among men! As the Master of Death you could deal life and death with but a glance! The world would tremble at your feet and you would rule with as a kind yet powerful Wizard. Lord of Lords, King of Kings, God of Men and Wizards alike. You would deny yourself this power?

"Of course not, but if you do not allow me entry, neither shall you taste the sweetness of the heavens above!"

Then admit and accept that only those that truly love you will accept you for who you are, and not what you are.

"I cannot throw away all I have for a notion of love. Father has taught me that love is a weak emotion and I must throw it away."

The world comes in pairs. Life and Death; Peace and War; Love and Hate. For every curse there is a counter. If hate creates the Killing Curse, then Love must create something that is strong enough to counter it.

Realisation struck him. "I have never seen it that way before."

Will you accept it?

"Yes! I will!"

Then you may proceed.

Brightness surrounded him, blinding the young wizard as he moved through his own soul and into the Plane of Life.

A figure stepped forward – a woman. Beautiful was the only word to describe her. Beauty beyond beauty. Her fiery red hair framed her delicate oval face of smooth, snow white skin and displaying her wide emerald eyes with a great magnificence. She wore a white tunic that showed off her womanly figure incredibly well. She smiled.

"You're life?"

The smile still on her lips, she nodded.

"How do I conquer life?"

Still she smiled.

"Will you answer me."

The woman did not move, but continued to smile.

Harry tried a different approach. "Do you have a name."

I do. Her voice was soft and light, like a summer's breeze blowing over him.

"May I know it?"

You may.

"What is it?"

I am Life. I am the Light. I am Magic. I am Mother Nature. I am the woman that bore you.

Anger filled him. "You're Lily Potter?" He growled.

I am. But I do not understand this hatred you have for her.

"She left me behind! She left me behind to die. She chose my sister," he spat the word. "Over me! I had done nothing but love them, until that bitch came along with her stupid prophecy and ruined everything! My own mother doesn't care about me!"

She does. Every year on the night she thought you died does she and your sister cry. She regrets it so much that she even tried to commit suicide afterwards.

"Well she deserves it. I hate her. I hate her. I HATE HER!" he screamed in frustration and hatred and sorrow.

You only wished to be loved, and yet you were abandoned and brought up by Lord Voldemort and taught to hate the Potters for leaving you behind to be killed. But the Dark Lord – he was merciful. He granted you power, gave you what you believed was love and used you by doing his evil work.

"My father was more loving than the Potters ever were to me."

That is not true.

"YES IT IS!"

Has Lord Voldemort ever truly showed you love?

"Yes!"

No! He hasn't! He has shown you affection and you crave more! You always want your father to be proud of you and so you do anything for him to reward you for. But by gaining True Immortality, you're father will hate you! He will turn his back on you because you will have reached a state he could never get to. He didn't conquer each plane, he destroyed them. He destroyed his inner self to get to the planes before ripping them to shreds after facing his own mother. He moved onto the Plane of Death and saw his own demise and has being trying ever since to change his future. He did not conquer the Plane of Death but destroyed that too! To know true power you must allow Mercy and Forgiveness and Love to instruct you as well as Hate.

"So how do I conquer Life?"

Accept that Lord Voldemort has never truly loved you and that you must seek out those that do.

"I-I just cant though! It's hard for me to leave everything behind and just-"

It is hard for everyone, but you must. It is the only way to succeed.

"Very… very well then. I give in to your power."

You have conquered the Plane of Life by allowing yourself to become one with me. Go now to the Plane of Death and remember what I have spoken about.

The light was gone, and replacing it was pure darkness. There was nothing but pure blackness. And then a pair of what looked like red jewels glinted in the distance and Harry forced his being to go towards them, as if that was what he was meant to do.

"Ahh, Harry," Said his father's cruel, high-pitched voice. "You have returned to me. I am glad to see that you have not succumbed to the pathetic emotion of love."

"But the Plane of Light told me that Love was just as powerful as Hate and-"

"You don't really believe that nonsense, do you, Harry?" Voldemort materialised around the red eyes and an evil smirk settled onto his face as he began to circle around what was Harry. "They haven't suckered you into the ridiculous notion that Love is as powerful as Hate and Anger, have they? Not weak are you, Harry?"

Anger filled him at this comment. "I'm not weak." He yelled.

"Then prove it!"

Voldemort whipped out his wand and Harry felt his body do the same, the Killing curse flying out of both wands, only to clash in the air and blow the two wizards apart. Dark spells flew back and forwards between them and Harry had the horrible feeling that he was loosing.

"You cant beat me, Harry. I taught you everything you know. You're weak!"

"I'M NOT WEAK!" a barrage of spells, both Light and Dark shot from Harry's wand as he tried to bring down his contemptuous father. This startled Voldemort, but he quickly upped his curses to only the Unforgivables. Harry was forced to dodge and weave the spells, knowing that nothing could block them, cutting down on his barrage of spells.

Then a voice sounded in his mind. The world comes in pairs. Life and Death; Peace and War; Love and Hate. For every curse there is a counter. If hate creates the Killing Curse, then Love must create something that is strong enough to counter it.

But he loved no one. He didn't have anyone to love. And then her face flashed in his mind and he smiled.

Flipping over a Killing curse, he created a shield and began to whisper her name, over and over again. The shield began to glow pure white and began to radiate Happiness like a Patronus. Her face remained in his mind and her name upon his tongue, a smile playing at his lips.

Voldemort's smirk turned to a worried frown as he placed more power into his curses, only to see them rebound off this pure white shield of magic. "Impossible…" he whispered.

With one last Killing Curse, Voldemort collapsed to the floor, his magic exhausted, sweat dripping from his forehead.

"You win." He admitted. "Now finish me off. Quickly. I wish to die."

Harry looked down at the quivering figure on the ground. The man he once looked up to now cowering on the floor like a scared little child. "No." he said, after what seemed like an age. "I grant you mercy. I shall let you live. For I am not like you, I am merciful."

Voldemort faded away. Then you have defeated the Plane of Death and may continue onwards.

The darkness faded as Voldemort had and was replaced by nothing. Neither Darkness nor Light.

A rasping voice rang past him. "You seek the Hallows?"

Harry spun around, his wand and eyes searching for the unknown speaker, a spell on his lips. In front on him stood a tall, ghoulish skeleton, accoutred in a long, seemingly endless, black cloak, merging into the nothingness around them. An imposing scythe hung over its skull and, upon looking at where the eyes should have been, was met with a pair of flaming voids that have looked over all of time.

Swallowing his fear of this mighty demon, Harry answered. "What of it."

The demon spoke again. "You seek the Hallows?"

"I do,"

"You possess all three, but do not know how to use them." Stated the demon. Knowing it wasn't a question, Harry said nothing. His years with Voldemort had taught him to only speak when spoken to when dealing with someone more powerful than yourself and the young wizard could feel the power lapping from this creature. "You know not the power they possess. You are but a human, and so cannot control the power they possess." The pits of fire bore into him, and the Dark Prince felt as if they were gazing at his soul. "You will not control me, _mortal_." It spat this word as if the mere mention of it tainted its very existence.

Harry was incredibly offended. "I may not be as powerful as you, spirit, but I have not yet reached my full potential. I am not yet seventeen nor have a conquered all of the Planes."

This enraged the incubus. It rushed towards him with a speed Harry had never seen before. Its burning eyes once again bore into him and Harry felt like he was a small child, being berated by a parent. "You will never be strong enough to conquer me! _No one_ is! NONE SHALL DEFEAT ME!"

Harry stepped back a few steps. "What are you, though."

The spirit calmed. "I am everything. I am nothing. I am neither Male nor Female, but I am both. I am Life and I am Death. I am the Essence of all living things and I have the power to do anything."

"You're God then?"

"That is what the Muggles call me. They have so many deferent beliefs, none of which are true."

"Then why do you allow yourself to be called God if it is not true?"

The beast snarled. "There are fragments of truth in every story, but none truly know me."

"Do you have a name?"

"I've no need. What use is a name when I am the only one of my kind."

"Well, if what you say is true, then why do you take the form of the Grim Reaper?"

"Because it is what you wish to see when you think of the Hallows!" snarled the spirit. "I can change my form to anything!"

The spirit changed to Harry; to Voldemort; Dumbledore; Lily; James; Jane; and then into beasts and animals, before settling on a deep blue dragon.

"If I was to conquer yo-"

"_You will never conquer me._"

"_If_, I said, if I was to conquer you, what would happen?"

If the demon was able to smirk, it would have.

"I do not know."

"Then _how_ exactly to I conquer you?"

"I do not know."

"You don't like being easy, do you."

"No."

Harry stared into the Dragon's ice blue eyes. And laughed.

"What is funny mortal?"

"I must tame the beast."

"And how exactly will you be doing that?"

Harry smiled. "We are inside my magic, correct? Then you must be a part of me. So by taming the beast, I am controlling myself. My fears, my aggression, my anger, my rage, my attachment, my ambition, my love, my emotion. If I can do that, then I can control you. And through controlling you, release my magic and the ability to control all three Hallows and become Master of Death."

The Dragon smirked, but did not say anything.

"And to tame the beast, I must let go of everything."

He closed his eyes to the Demon and sat down cross-legged on the floor and let everything go.

Harry awoke. He stood up and felt the Invisibility Cloak hanging around him, the Elder wand in his hand and the Resurrection Stone against his finger. He knew what to do.

Closing his eyes, he shifted his being to Voldemort and gazed down upon the father figure he had. Without opening his eyes, he waved the wand and ripped Voldemort from the world. Shifting again, he removed Dumbledore as well. The two major problems gone. He shifted again and began removing the people from the world. When he was finished, only two families remained. He brought them together and kissed each of those he loved just once before drawing runes onto the floor around him and began to gather all of his power and energy into the unbroken circle of runes. When he felt all the energy in the circle, he broke it and life and death was destroyed.

A small wail rang through the crisp new air and somewhere, Harry smiled.


End file.
